To Win a King's Heart
by freemanisms
Summary: After searching for his father, Thorin Oakenshield meets with Gandalf in the Prancing Pony. Little does he know, he will also meet the woman who will accompany him on his journey to the Shire. Rating will change to M in future chapters, Thorin/OC, Slow-build
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **__Hello, everyone! So this is my first story on my new account. I deleted my old one and wanted to start out fresh! Please review, and give me some feedback, and I really hope you like this! I have a little plot in my mind, but I'm not sure if anyone will even want to read this. Also, some of the scenes I write are scenes from the movies, but not exactly the same, mainly because I can't remember exactly what was said. Enjoy!_

**Disclaimer: **I do not own anything to do with The Hobbit or the characters.

The sound of clashing dishes and boisterious laughter was all that could be heard at the Inn of the Prancing Pony. When people spoke to one another, they had to call out loudly to be heard. The inn was always busy, especially at night. But today it was packed full of people. All sorts of men and women were crammed inside, trying to stay warm or hoping to fill their empty stomachs. The women that served the customers were on high alert tonight, making sure not to linger around the drunken men. One young woman had just cleaned off a table when another person entered the Inn.

The young girl squinted to see who it was. Maybe it was a young boy, but she couldn't recall a time when a young boy was ever in the Inn. She squinted a little harder, and realized that a dwarf had entered. Her eyes widened when he tilted his head, his hood sliding off. She had never seen a dwarf that looked so handsome. She had always heard that dwarves were meant to be ugly. That they were unattractive and short. She didn't mind the idea of them being short however, seeing as how she was barely over five feet tall. The woman's eyes followed the dwarf until he stopped at the table she'd just washed. He sat alone, ignoring the noises around him. He grimaced at the sound of drunken laughter, and kept his eyes straight down to his hands.

"Quit gawking, and serve him wot' he wants!" said an older woman curtly. The young woman rolled her eyes, and did as she was told. The old woman's name was Holga. She was a stern woman, but she had always watched out for the young girl ever since she could remember. The younger woman quickly walked to the dwarf's table, and spoke loudly so he could hear her.

"What'll you have?" Her voice was soft but strong, and the handsome dwarf looked up at who had spoken to him.

"Whatever is-"

The dwarf stopped speaking when a large fellow walked up behind the young woman.

"Well 'ello, Rue!" The man's words were slurred, and he grinned maliciously at the young woman.

"Hello. Don't call me that." She hissed, simply ignoring the drunk man, and turned her attention back to the dwarf in front of her.

"I'm sorry, sir. What was that?" She asked him, but the dwarf was still looking at the man behind her.

She turned around and nearly bumped her nose into the fat man's chest. She yelped when he leaned over, his rank breath attacking her nose.

"That's no way to greet an old friend, lass." He whispered darkly, and she held her ground.

"I don't even know who you are." The woman huffed, and shoved him off of her. He fell over, laughing loudly, yelling for another beer.

She stared at the pathetic man writhing on the floor, thinking of how pitiful the life of a drunkard must be.

"Do you deal with that every day?" a deep voice asked.

She spun around and realized it was the dwarf that had spoken.

"Oh, yes, just about every five minutes!" She smirked, but the dwarf's expression remained emotionless. She cleared her throat awkwardly,

"How about I just get you an ale and some bread?"

The dwarf stared at her a bit longer, but nodded his head soon after. She flashed him a smile, and hurried back to the kitchens.

The dwarven man looked around the Inn, studying each person carefully. He saw how filthy many of the people were, how poor and hungry they all looked. He sighed, knowing that he had no right to judge. He glanced down at the dirty garments he had on, wishing he had something clean to put on.

The dwarf's attention was directed to the young woman who stood beside his table, holding a plate of stale - but edible - bread and a mug of ale.

"Here you are!" She said, barely looking at him, and leaned over to drop the plate in front of him. The dwarf realized he was staring at her chest that was pooling out of her tight corset. Thankfully, she'd either not noticed or didn't care. She smiled to him once again, and was immediately serving another customer.

He cursed himself, and tried to remove the dirty thoughts in his mind. He began eating the bread and realized just how hungry he truly was. He devoured it, ignoring the slight taste of staleness, and quickly swallowed his ale. Unlike men, dwarves had a much higher tolerence of alcohol and he only felt a slight buzz.

The dwarf looked up, hoping to catch the attention of the woman that had served him, so that he could ask for more ale. He finally caught sight of her, and watched her intently.

She was yet again trying to ignore a large drunkard, and stood tall and proud. They were standing too far away for the dwarf to understand what was being said. He realized the woman's eyes had narrowed angrily, and she spun around to slap the man beside her.

The dwarf noticed the way her hair had flicked back and saw her ear. It had a very distinct point at the tip, and he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. As if she realized that someone might be looking at her, she quickly pulled her long dark hair over her exposed ear, and continued on with her task.

The dwarf started violently, when a large man in a grey cloak sat in front of him.

"Master Dwarf!" The old man smiled, looking at the dwarf as if he was expecting a reply.

Silence ensued, and the dwarf shifted uncomfortably. Finally he spoke,

"I don't believe I know you." He said calmly, but feeling agitated nonetheless.

The old man leaned forward, looking at the dwarf seriously. He scanned the shorter man's face, searching for a sign of realization, but found none.

"Ah, I should have introduced myself. My name is-"

"Gandalf!" a small voice called out, and the dwarf saw the young woman running up to the old man.

"Erubadhriel." The older man said warmly, opening his arms widely. The woman smiled and ran to embrace him tightly.

"Gandalf, it has been many summers since I saw you last. What on earth has brought you to the Prancing Pony?" the woman asked him excitedly.

"I have in fact come to see this dwarf." He said slowly, peering down at the man in front of him.

The dwarf's eyes grew larger, and repeated the older man's name.

"I have heard your name before. What do you want with me?" The dwarf grumbled, half interested, half annoyed.

"Apologies, Erubadhriel, but I would like to speak with this dwarf in private." The older man said sternly, but his eyes revealed the kindness in his words. She nodded quickly, and Gandalf stopped her before she left.

"I'll have the same." He smiled, gesturing to the plate in front of Thorin.

She nodded, and started to walk back to the kitchens when the dwarf asked her a question.

"I thought your name was Rue?"

She huffed angrily and replied,

"Many people like to call me this, but I hate it. That is not my name. My name is Erubadhriel."

The dwarf displayed no emotion, and simply nodded. He watched the obviously irritated woman stomp away, and almost felt the urge to smile.

Thorin turned his attention back to the old man sitting in front of him.

"What is it that you want?" He asked, a bit more rudely than he had meant. The older man paid no mind however, and spoke quickly.

"What exactly is Thorin Oakenshield doing in Bree?" He asked, obviously ignoring the dwarf's question.

Thorin remained silent for a few moments, wondering if he should tell the wizard why he was here. He finally leaned forward and told Gandalf that he had heard rumours of his father wandering in this area.

Gandalf looked at him for a moment, secretly pitying the dwarf.

"He still lives," Thorin urged, "I'm sure of it."

The wizard smiled but did not reply. He began to say something but remained silent.

They were interrupted by Erubadhriel once more. She placed Gandalf's food in front of him, and she smiled to the wizard.

"There you are." She grinned, and turned around to clean the table a few feet away from them.

"You spoke to my father, before he went missing," Thorin whispered, "What did you say to him?"

"I told him it was time that he marched to Erebor to destroy the dragon. And I urge you to do the same. It is time to take back your homeland, Thorin Oakenshield."

Thorin stared at him for a moment, and leaned away from him.

"This is no chance meeting, is it? Gandalf."

"No, it is not." He said, his eyebrows furrowing together, "The Lonely Mountain troubles me, Thorin. I fear that darker minds will head towards Erebor."

Thorin listened intently, agreeing with the wizard. For a long time now, Thorin had a horrible thought. Eventually, someone that had no right might try to take Erebor.

"There is no way, Gandalf. The dragon Smaug still watches over the gold."

"Summon the dwarves!" Gandalf reasoned, "They have sworn an oath."

"The Seven Armies swore their oath to the one who wields the Arkenstone, Gandalf." Thorin replied quickly.

"And in case you've forgotten, that jewel was stolen by Smaug!" He said, his voice growing louder.

Gandalf suddenly appeared to have a twinkle in his eye. As if he had a brilliant idea that only he knew of, and he was excited to share it with someone.

"That is why you will need a burglar. Don't you think?" He smiled, as if the notion was obvious.

"A burglar? What are you talking about?"

"I have a fellow in mind actually-"

"What are you talking about, Gandal-"

"-and his name is Bilbo Baggins." The wizard finished, ignoring the fact that the dwarf had interrupted him.

The room seemed quiet to Thorin all of a sudden, and he realized it was because the girl that had served him was standing a few feet away, staring at Gandalf.

"Did you just say Bilbo Baggins?" She whispered,

"Have you been eavesdropping, Miss Erubadhriel?" He asked gruffly,

"I'm sorry, Gandalf, I wasn't eavesdropping!" She urged, but walked closer to them.

"It's just that I know Bilbo, and to hear his name mentinoed here in Bree is strange indeed!"

"You know of this Baggins fellow?" Thorin asked, and she jumped as if she just realized he was sitting beside her.

"Yes, I found his home once, years ago. I consider him a good friend." She smiled, but jumped when Gandalf clapped his hands.

"It's decided!" The wizard said excitedly.

They both turned to him, surprise written on their faces, mixed with a bit of confusion.

"Sorry, what?" Erubadhriel asked softly.

"It's a marvelous idea! Surely Fate has granted us this opportunity! Don't you see, Thorin?"

The dwarf stared at him as if he'd lost his mind.

Gandalf sighed, and explained his idea as if he was talking to foolish children.

"It is fairly obvious. Erubadhriel will show you the way to Bilbo Baggins. I'm sure she remembers the way. Once you find his home, seeing a familiar face may put the little fellow at ease." Gandalf said, his eyes still shining with excitement.

"Little fellow? Is he a dwarf?"

Erubadhriel laughed, and Thorin looked at her sharply.

"He is a hobbit, Master Dwarf." She said, clearing her throat. The way he stared at her intently made her feel exposed.

"Surely, you don't think that a _hobbit _is a wise chose for a burglar, Gandalf?" Thorin scoffed.

"Hobbits are incredible creatures! Don't underestimate Bilbo, before you've even met him." Erubadhriel said angrily, and Thorin remained silent.

"I'm going to have to agree with her, Thorin. They have remarkable talents and are very determined in what they do. I believe Bilbo is the burglar we need."

The wizard pushed his seat away from the table, and stood up quickly. He towered over the both of them and spoke quietly,

"We shall summon your kin, and meet at the Shire. I believe it's all settled then?" He nodded after asking, as if deciding the answer to his own question.

Before they knew it, Gandalf was heading towards the door to leave.

"Gandalf, I can't just leave! What about the Inn?"

"I can't take a child with me!"

Their protests were left unanswered, and Erubadhriel glared at him.

"I am no child."

The dwarf looked up at her, and glared right back at her.

Silence was all that remained for a few moments, but it felt like eternity to them both.

"I suppose we should leave soon, then."

"You're not serious?" Thorin said, his expression genuinely surprised.

"Do you wish to live your life, never going back to your home? To never again see the place that was taken from you? Imagine the people that might try to steal your mountain. What will you think then? I know what you will think. You will regret not ever trying."

She walked away quickly and the dwarf grabbed her wrist.

Erubadhriel froze, and looked down at the dwarf, fearing that she'd angered him.

"So you _were_ eavesdropping then?" He asked, and by his tone of voice, she thought he was furious.

However, she saw something in his eyes.

A look of excitement or maybe hope. She wasn't exactly sure.

Whatever it was, she knew one thing was certain. She'd be leading a dwarf on an interesting journey to a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins.

**A/N: **_I hope you guys like this so far! I am so excited to start writing again, and I am really in love with Thorin and The Hobbit right now! Please review and tell me what you think of my character Erubadhriel! I would reaaaally appreciate it. And like I said, some of the things I wrote were very similar to the movie, but I do not mean plagarism in ANY WAY. Thank you very much for reading guys!_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**_: Hey! Update for my story is FINALLY here! Thank you to those that reviewed, you gave such lovely comments!_

**DISCLAIMER**_: I do not own anything to do with The Hobbit or the characters. _

"Where are we going?"

"Shush!"

He grunted angrily, but remained silent. Thorin was being lead by a woman he now knew as Erubadhriel, and he couldn't believe it.

"This is madness!" He whispered to her, but she simply waved her hand at him -motioning for him to be quiet.

"I'm sure I can find my way, you needn't bother yourself." Thorin grunted.

"Be quiet! Holga mustn't know I'm leaving yet, she'll have my backside!"

Erubadhriel was getting more and more annoyed at this dwarf who wouldn't remain quiet. '_Why is he making this so difficult_?' she wondered.

"This is mad! I don't know anything about you, and you expect me to be - "

In the blink of an eye, Thorin saw her small hand grasp his fur coat and he was shoved into a dark room. He soon realized she had dragged them both into a tiny little broom cupboard. His eyes adjusted and realized a bit of light was shining through the cracks of the walls.

At first he was so enraged that this woman dared to toss him around as if he were a naughty child. Then he felt an enormous amount of discomfort when he realized how close she was to him.

Again, he opened his mouth to protest but this time she pushed her hand across his mouth.

"Will. You. Be. Quiet." She growled. Thorin felt himself grow even angrier.

"You don't know anything about me, of course! I understand that! However, you know my name, you know I am a friend to someone you seek, you know I know how to find him, and you know that I want to help. Please be quiet, please stop your complaining, and please let me help you!" She shouted, almost to the verge of frustrated tears.

For a moment, he remained completely still. He felt that she honestly did want to help. Yet, how dare she? Does she not know who he is?

Erubadhriel felt her hand that was plastered to his mouth being slammed back against the door, and realized that he held a tight grip on her wrist.

She shrunk down as Thorin brought his face down to hers, his breath blowing against her forehead.

"Do not. _Ever_. Speak to me like that again." He growled at her, and she felt her body grow cold with fear.

"Do you understand?" He spoke again, this time, his voice lower and softer. She nodded quickly and he let go of her hand.

When they broke apart, Thorin noticed yet again how close their bodies where. He stepped back but bumped into the wall behind him.

"Will you let me help you?" She whispered, "Master Dwarf?" She added, and looked down at her feet.

Admittedly, Thorin felt quite ashamed at how angry he had been. Eventually he nodded to her.

"What do you need me to do?" He asked, and Erubadhriel's face turned towards his. Thorin noticed how brightly her eyes shined with excitement and almost noticed just how pretty she was.

"First, I need to - _quietly_, " She emphasized her last word by pointing at him, "Get out of the Prancing Pony without Holga seeing me. She's hard to explain things to - bless her." She sighed, and looked at the dwarf in front of her.

"Alright." He grunted, nodding his head in agreement.

"Then, I need to quickly grab - "

"Erubadhriel!"

The young girl froze, hearing that familar voice calling her name.

"Where the bloody 'ell are you, silly girl!"

Erubadhriel peaked through one of the cracks in the wall and saw that Holga was standing just outside of the little cupboard they were in.

"We've got customers comin' in like rats, and lots o' mouths to feed! I'll be waitin' for you in the kitchen - so get a move on, love!" Holga shouted loudly.

The elderly woman eventually stomped off, muttering something under her breath.

"Come on!" Erubadhriel whispered to Thorin, and slowly opened the door.

They walked back into the main area of the Inn, and she hid between two extremely tall men.

"I'll never get by, she's got the eyes of a hawk!" She whispered to the dwarf.

Just when she was ready to give up and run out the door as fast as she could, she felt something bulky being draped over her shoulders.

"Here. Pull the hood over your head and follow me."

She gave Thorin a quizzical look, before she realized he'd given her his navy colored cloak.

Slowly, they walked and wavered through the crowd and she hid her face in the warm fabric. It smelled of musk, dirt, and of man. She rather liked it.

Erubadhriel felt a surge of excitement in her chest and took a deep breath.

'_This is mad! Fantastic_!' She thought, her mind was buzzing with thoughts. Then she came to a halt.

"Oi!"

Thorin turned around and saw Holga waving him over.

"You seen the girl that gave you ale earlier?"

Thorin simply shook his head and turned back around - heading towards the door.

"Who's that with you? You came alone didn't you?" Holga asked loudly.

Erubadhriel froze and cast her gaze at the dwarf. That's it. Her covers blown. It's all over now.

"He's my apprentice." The dwarf called back, waving as he held the door open for her.

Erubadhriel sighed a deep sigh, and quickly ran out of the Inn.

She kept walking until she heard that familiar creaking _slam_ of the front door and turned around.

"That was close!"

"Wouldn't it have been easier to just tell her where you are going?" Thorin asked grumpily.

"Believe me, master dwarf, it would have taken me hours to convince her to let me go with you." She assured him, and led him down an alley beside the Inn.

"Is she your kin?" He asked her.

"I have no kin. No."

When she paused, Thorin noticed Erubadhriel's hands fidget at her sides.

"She is my friend. Well, I suppose she is my kin now. She found me when I was wandering in the streets. She has taken very good care of me." Erubadhriel sighed.

"I apologize for asking." Thorin said, bowing his head to her slightly.

"No, no, it's alright. Quickly now, I need to go to my home and grab some things for the journey!"

They continued to walk briskly down the alley, stepping over drunkards that were passed out on the ground.

"Ah, here we are!" She smiled, and looking up at her little home.

"I'll wait here." He said, and she shrugged her shoulders,

"Suit yourself, here's your cloak!" She grinned, and tossed it to him.

"Give me a boost?"

"Why not use the door?" Thorin wondered aloud as he pulled the cloak back on.

"Oh come on, where's your sense of adventure! It's more exciting to go in through the window. Besides I only need to get some things from this room!"

He scrunched his eyebrows together with confusion. '_She is very odd_.' He thought.

He clasped his hands together and perched them on his knee.

She stepped up and he tossed her up in the air with no effort at all.

"_Oomph_!" She groaned, when she landed on the small balcony that was in front of her window.

"Gee, thanks." She grumbled and reached for the latch on her window.

As soon as she'd stepped inside she scrambled around the room. She hurriedly packed a small bag that contained clothes and blankets - only the amount she knew she could carry easily. She ran down the hall to her pantry and packed some cheeses and bread and scurried back to where the dwarf was waiting outside.

Without paying attention to where her feet were going, Erubadhriel tripped over something on her floor.

She landed with a soft _thud_ and spun around angrily.

"What was that?" She huffed, and saw the offensive object that had dared to try to stop her.

But really, it wasn't offensive. It was a small book that Holga had given her.

It contained little stories of the adventures of elves and dwarfs and giants and other wonderful creatures. The cover of it was a simple dark blue color - small swirls and lines etched across it. She had left it beside her bed earlier that day.

She opened it and read the message that was written on the first page. She knew it by heart.

_Here you are, love. I told you I had a lovely gift for you! Well, I think you'll like it. I know I haven't got much money to buy you lovely things but I know you'll appreciate this old thing. Now you can stop pestering me about you not having any books to read! Try not to read it in one night, silly girl. _

Erubadhriel immediately felt a touch of regret knowing that she actually thought about leaving without telling Holga. She knew very well the woman would be worried sick and Erubadhriel felt ashamed to have thought otherwise.

She tucked the little book into her bag and trotted to the window.

"I'm ready to go! But first I need to make one quick stop at the Prancing Pony."

Thorin looked at her and growled.

"Foolish, woman! You should have just said goodbye to her when we were there!"

Erubadhriel blushed crimson and shrugged her shoulders meekly.

She waited as the dwarf seemed to contemplate about backtracking, and finally he turned his face to look up at her.

"Alright, come on then - _hurry up_."

**A/N: **_Oh my goodness, I am so, so, so sorry I took so long to write the second chapter! I hope you enjoyed it though! I hope you can tell that I intend for Erubadhriel to be a rambunctious and adventurous character. _


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N**_: Here's the third chapter! Thank you for those that have followed this story and are enjoying it! Please, I urge you to leave a review - it lets me know you guys are really interested! also, I got a review asking how to pronounce Erubadhriel's name. It is pronounced, AY-ROO-BOTH-REE-ELLE. Hope that helps! Currently writing the next chapter as well, so keep checking for updates. Hopefully this time I can make it a regular thing._

**DISCLAIMER**_: I do not own anything to do with The Hobbit or the characters. _

Thorin hadn't planned on spending the night trying to keep up with this strange girl.

_'But she is not a girl, she is a woman_.' He thought sarcastically. When she had become so defensive at that remark it only made him view her as child even more.

However - apart from her child-like face - she certainly did look like a young woman.

He continued to keep up the pace and followed Erubadriel through the alleys they had already passed just moments before.

"What changed your mind?" Thorin asked, and the girl turned back to look at him.

"Goodness! I'd nearly forgotten you were there - you're ever so quiet!" She grinned, but she saw that he did not return the smile.

Erubadhriel turned back around and rolled her eyes. She kept walking and held a firm grip on the book she'd grabbed from her room just moments before.

"Oh, just something silly and sentimental." She smiled, but she didn't see the quizzical look on Thorin's face.

She sheepishly looked down and watched her feet shuffle across the cobblestone path.

Erubadhriel cleared her throat and motioned to Thorin to follow her down a new alley.

"This is a shortcut" She said and Thorin simply grunted in her direction.

After walking in a long awkward silence, they both reached the Inn's back door. When Erubadhriel reached to open the door, it was swung open by Holga herself.

"There you are!" The startled woman shrieked. She grabbed the girls arm and yanked her inside.

"Do you know how bloody busy we are? Get back to work, silly girl!"

As Holga turned to slam the back door shut, she noticed Thorin standing outside.

"What are you - have you been pestering my girl?" Holga huffed, her face becoming red with anger. She began to worry perhaps this man had dragged Erubadhriel away from her work. It certainly wouldn't have been the first time.

Thorin opened his mouth to dismiss the accusation but of course the girl was first to speak up.

"No, no, no! Holga, he needs my help."

_'Oh, yes. Desperately.' _Thorin thought sarcastically.

"Well whatever he needs can wait until tomo-"

"Actually, we are leaving tonight." Erubadhriel sighed. She closed her eyes waiting for the woman to spew her rage.

"You, '_wot!" _

A few moments passed of Holga shouting and sputtering, reminding the girl every other sentence that she was too young to leave with a strange man.

Finally, when Erudbadhriel thought perhaps Holga would faint from yelling so much she spoke up.

"Please just listen to me!" Erubadhriel said, gripping the shoulders of the hysterical woman before her.

"If you think for one bloody second that I'm letting you wander off with this stranger, Erubadhriel, you are mad - "

"Oh, shush!" Erubadhriel sighed, trying to soothe Holga. "If anything, I'm doing it for my old friend, Gandalf!" She urged.

"Don't shush me, girl!" Holga huffed, stopping her foot.

Erubadhriel noticed this and almost laughed at how silly this red-faced woman looked.

"Just because an old friend you call Gondorf tells you to - "

"Gandalf!" Erubadhriel giggled. However, Holga gave her a look that told her she needed to be silent.

"Erubadhriel, you know 'ow much I care for you." Holga stuttered, "You are all I have in this miserable world. I can't let you just go out into the world with a strange man."

Holga sighed heavily and reached out for Erubadhriel's hand.

"Why on earth do you want to leave?" She whispered.

"As I said, Gandalf wishes for me to help him. And I'd love to see my old friend Bilbo. This isn't permanent, Holga. I'll be back before you know it! You trust me don't you?"

The old woman sighed and wiped the sweat from her forehead that had accumulated from her outburst. She nearly forgot that the dwarf was still outside until she heard him clear his throat loudly.

"Seeing as how Gandalf seems to think she can be of my help." He said quietly, "I would keep her safe and bring her back home. I give you my word."

Erubadhriel looked over at Thorin. She noticed how straight he stood and that he held his head high. Even though his clothes were dirty, he looked like royalty. He had a stern look on his face, but he seemed trustworthy. Not that she needed protection, but she would like to have him journey with her to the Shire. Only for his company of course.

"I don't need safe-keeping anyway." Erubadhriel said, smiling at Holga.

"Aye, you keep saying that, you silly girl."

Silence ensued for a few moments, and no one moved a muscle.

"There's no way I can stop you, is there?" Holga sighed heavily. She was holding the girls hands in her own and was rubbing her thumbs across Erubadhriel's knuckles. The girl squeezed Holga's hands tightly and whispered.

"Of course not." She was grinning sweetly at her dear friend.

Holga slapped her hands on her thighs dramatically and mumbled.

"Alright, alright! Go pack some things for your journ-"

"Already did, Holga." The girl grinned and pointed to the doorway where she had dropped her bag onto the ground.

"Oh bloody hell- You would have gone even if I'd said no." Holga spoke, a faint grin on the old woman's face.

She turned back to Thorin, and pointed her finger his way.

"You. You keep her safe. She'll tell you countless times she doesn't need watching over, but that right there is my girl. You bring her back to me, do you understand?"

Twice tonight, Thorin thought. Twice he was being bossed around by two woman that clearly had no idea who he was.

But instead of arguing more with either one of them, he nodded his head slowly.

"It's settled!" Erubadhriel shrieked. She leaned towards Holga and gave her a firm hug. She leaned her head back a bit and kissed the woman's forehead.

"You'll need to find a new girl to help at the inn of course! Pira's daughter, Pip! She's been looking for somewhere to work - She'd be perfect!"

She gave Holga three quick kisses on her cheek and one last hug.

"I'll be back to bother you before you know it!"

"Aye, silly girl. You will." Holga smiled, looking as if she could cry. But she never cried. Never.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N**_: Here's the fourth chapter. Thank you for those that are new followers, I'm glad you are enjoying this story so far! I have a few ideas that keep popping into my head of how I'd like to further the story. Anyways, if you enjoy, go ahead and leave a review!_

**DISCLAIMER**_: I do not own anything to do with The Hobbit or the characters. _

A few minutes had passed since Holga had agreed to Erubadhriel's journey. The three of them were standing in the alley outside of the back door, ignoring the fact that the temperature had dropped significantly and it was chilly outside. Holga bent down, and wrapped her fingers around the drawstring of the young girl's bag. After taking a close look through Erubadhriel's belongings for her journey, Holga shook her head slowly.

"This is mad. But I won't argue with you anymore. Go on! Before I change my mind completely!" Holga huffed softly, tossing the raggedy bag to the girl.

Erubadhriel grabbed it mid-air and swiftly swung it over her shoulder and grinned. She peeked over at Thorin and saw he was already walking away.

With one final firm hug, Erubadhriel dashed away from Holga and the Inn.

Her heart was pounding. She was so ready for a new adventure. It'd been years since she'd journeyed away from home. She grew so bored and weary of the same day to day tasks. Adventure and fresh surroundings were the things she so desperately craved in life.

Erubadhriel's feet moved swiftly below her. She tried stretching her leg's to match the dwarf's pace, but he was still a yard or two ahead of her. She felt she'd only gone a few paces, but when she looked back to the inn she could barely make out Holga's figure. She saw the figure's arm raise up and wave slowly, and she mimicked the gesture.

They walked in silence for about ten minutes. Erubadhriel desperately wanted to break the awkwardness, but settled for just chewing her bottom limp.

They reached the end of one particular street she was not fond of. The dark alleys were riddled with women who waited in silence for business. She grimaced and looked to her feet. She would hate to live that life. To live in the streets and barely make enough money to feed herself. To have to give her body to someone that would defile her. If it weren't for Holga, she imagined that's exactly where she would have ended up.

She pinched her left arm that hung by her side, trying to shake away the thoughts of her wretched past. The thoughts constantly wormed their way into her mind day after day. It had gotten easier though. Easier to forget those days. They didn't matter now anyway. She had a home. A woman who took care of her. Friends that lived all around her. A Hobbit she was on her way to greet once again. And now she had a mysterious dwarf to follow.

Although.. come to think of it. Wasn't she supposed to be leading him?

As if Thorin had heard that last thought, he stopped abruptly.

Erubadhriel hadn't noticed this however. She continued to trot along on the paved road while staring at her shoes, averting her gaze from the poverty around her.

"_Oof_!"

She had walked right into him, her forehead bumping between his shoulder blades. She held her breath for a moment, looking at the massive back in front of her. His dark hair that was both braided and loose tickled her face. She scrunched her nose, and reached up to scratch it.

"What _are_ you doing?" She huffed, still scratching her nose.

He turned to face her slowly, and realized that she had not yet stepped back. He was looking straight down at her, his face mere inches away from hers.

Thorin took notice that her eyes were a pale green color. He also noticed that her hair looked even darker in the moonlight.

Awkwardly, they took a step back in unison.

"I believe this is where you step in." He said, the rumble of his voice made her want to shiver.

Her eyebrows knitted up in confusion, scanning his face for an explaination.

"Oh!" She finally said, blushing slightly. She felt like an idiot.

"Come on then!" Erubadhriel urged. Without thinking, she grabbed his forearm and pulled him with her. Only, he didn't budge.

She looked back at him over her shoulder, and saw that he was staring at her hand. His eyes were dark with something. Anger? Yes, definitely anger.

Immediately she let go of him. He snatched his arm to his chest, as if her hand had burned him. She apologized quickly and began to turn away from him, but Thorin stopped her from doing so. He swiftly grabbed her arm just as she had done to him, but held a tighter grasp than she had.

"If you are to accompany me, you will learn your place - _child_." He whispered darkly.

Thorin noticed Erubadhriel's face grow dark with anger and perhaps a bit of embarrassment.

He expected the girl to spew insults at him and to snatch her arm away. He thought perhaps he himself had gone too far and that she would run back to her inn. She did none of these things however. Instead she smiled. _Smiled!_

The dwarf scowled when he heard her giggle. The girl was insane, he was sure of it!

He let go of her and she laughed some more. Thorin was beginning to fear for her sanity until she finally spoke up.

"I am sorry, Master Dwarf, truly I am. But you are quite a serious fellow! I haven't seen you crack a smile yet!" She laughed, blinking her eyes up at him.

Still, he stood stoic. His face was stern and showed no emotion. She rolled her eyes and turned away from him.

"Aye, this will be a fun trip indeed!" She yelled out sarcastically, waving her hand in the air.

* * *

><p>A few hours had passed since they spoke, and Erubadhriel's pace was beginning to slow. It was well past midnight now, and her legs grew weary. She had woken the previous day at the crack of dawn, and lack of sleep was beginning to affect her.<p>

She scanned the forest around her, looking for any familiar trees or paths. Finally, after a few more paces she saw her favorite oak tree. It had served as a resting place many times in her life. She let her legs come to a stop and she turned to Thorin.

"I don't know about you but I'm exhausted. That tree -" she stopped mid-sentence to point to her right, "is where I am going to sleep for a bit if you don't mind."

Thorin wanted to object, seeing as how he still felt wide awake. However, he saw that her bright eyes shined no more. Her eyelids drooped and she looked very tired. To be fair, they _had_ walked up countless hills and her pace never slowed. Not until this moment anyway.

Not waiting for his approval, she used whatever energy she still had to walk up the slight incline of grass to reach the tree. When she reached the base of the tree, she saw the familar circle of roots that made the shape of an odd looking bed.

Just as she was beginning to lie down she looked towards Thorin.

"Where are my manners? Would you like to sleep here, Master Dwarf?" She said, her usual sarcasm was no longer present, she seemed genuinely interested.

He searched her face for a moment and tried to decide if she was joking or not.

"If you'd like I can take that patch of grass over ther-"

"Be quiet and get some sleep. I'll keep watch."

"Watch?" She said, fighting the urge to laugh. "Watch from what, rabbits and squirrels?" She grinned, amusing herself. Only herself, however. She saw that he did not see the humor.

Instead, he continued to stare at her. With his eyes that were just so piercing, and dark, and intriguing -

"Ahem! Well. Okay, wake me in a couple of hours. I just need a bit of rest is all." She said quietly. Before she'd finished her sentence completely he'd already walked over to the tree straight across from her. It was about twenty feet away and she felt a strange sense of loneliness. She wasn't sure what it was. Maybe she wasn't used to being alone and separated this far from someone during the night anymore. She always had Holga right next door.

She felt a bit more at ease though, when he reached the tree nearest him and sat down. He sat up straight with his chest facing her direction.

A few seconds passed of awkward eye contact, and Erubadhriel could stand it no longer.

She reached into her bag and pulled out a thin blanket. After fluffing it into the air, she let it fall onto her legs.

"See you in a bit, Master Dwarf." She said, yawning at the end of her sentence.

She waited for an audible reply but instead Thorin settled for a simple bow of the head.

'_Not one for conversation, I suppose_' She thought to herself.

Once Erubadhriel's head was resting on a root of the large oak tree, Thorin breathed a long sigh of relief. He tilted his head so that it rested on the tree behind him and closed his eyes.

His mind was racing with thoughts and emotions. He felt annoyed that he was trapped with a talkative and slightly strange girl. He also felt angry that Gandalf had essentially thrown her into his care.

The dwarf did feel slightly intrigued though. The girl was certainly eccentric and _loud_. But she also seemed kind. It took some bravery, he thought, to go along on a trip with a dwarf she hardly knew anything about. He appreciated her loyalty to Gandalf and her desire to help the wizard. Or perhaps she intended to help Thorin and his company too? He wasn't sure. He didn't think she understood completely what was at stake here. What he and his kin desired to do. She certainly didn't seem to understand who he was or why his home needed to be reclaimed. The girl seemed incredibly naive but he admired her adventurous spirit.

He also began to think about the hobbit they were journeying to meet with. How did she happen to know him? Why on earth would a girl like her know anything about hobbits or any of them personally?

Thorin opened his eyes and hoped to be home in his bed or somewhere warm and less confusing. But instead all he saw was Erubadhriel's tiny form huddled on the ground.

Her name kept floating in his thoughts as well. It sounded elvish, but she was no elf. She was incredibly short and had dark wavy hair. Her eyes were pale and bright like an elf's but she showed no other similarities with the race. Then he remembered the moment at the inn when he had seen her ear. It definitely had a point to it, there was no doubt about that.

So many thoughts and questions coursed through his mind and he desperately wished to know the answers. But at the same time, he did not. Normally, he didn't like to intrude into other's private lives. He rarely cared to socialize at all.

Erubadhriel was different though. She was so odd. So strange. He almost thought he rather liked it. He was so used to women of all races being timid and shy around him that they often bored him. This girl seemed to not care who he was and showed little respect to him.

He remembered when she'd grabbed his arm as if he was a child.

Admittedly, he wished he hadn't grabbed her arm and gotten so angry. He knew he had a temper that could boil over any minute, he had been told him this countless times. He also knew better than to treat a woman that way. But it had infuriated him that she just didn't care. She had laughed!

Instead of letting himself think about her, he decided to look up at the sky.

It was incredibly dark outside but the moon and stars made the fields glow slightly.

Without even realizing it, his eyes began to droop. He thought about his home, as he usually did. He thought of the fire and the destruction. He saw the faces of dwarves screaming and crying. The sound of crowds running away to safety. He saw darkness overcome him and didn't even realize he had finally fallen asleep.

* * *

><p>Words were spoken in the crisp morning air, but they were muffled and unintelligible. They were soft and quiet at first, but grew louder in volume and urgency.<p>

It almost sounded like someone speaking his name. But the dwarf often dreamed of people calling out to him for help. He imagined a dwarf was shouting at him or perhaps a human? A woman that was for sure.

Still, the words were muffled and quiet - until finally he felt a shove on the shoulder.

"Thorin! We need to get going!"

Finally, the dwarf's eyes snapped open. It took a moment for them to adjust to the bright world around him but they finally settled on the woman leaning over him.

Her eyes were sparkling and she had a smile on her face.

'_Always bloody smiling' _Thorin thought to himself.

"Here!" She said quietly, handing him a piece of bread. "I've already had some, figured we ought to have something in our bellies for the journey!"

Thorin shook his head quickly, trying to shake away the sleepiness from his eyes.

He realized that her appearance had changed significantly. Instead of letting her dark hair flow all over her shoulders, it was now pulled back into a loose braid. He saw she had some stray pieces of hair covering her ears. His eyes lowered from her face to her clothing and saw that she'd opted for pants. They were certainly different from the dress she had been wearing at the inn last night.

Thorin didn't realize how long he'd kept his gaze on her lower half of her body until she stiffened and cleared her throat.

"Yes, yes. I'm wearing trousers. What a surprise, a modest little lady such as myself dares to wear trousers! For the holy ones' sake I'm so tired of everyone giving me a har-"

"I like them."

Erubadhriel's mouth slammed shut, and yet again an awkward silence fell upon them.

Thorin desperately tried to think of something to say to cover up the fact he had spoken his thoughts out loud.

"Makes more sense... for the journey, that is." He grumbled. He wished he didn't even have to be near her right now. Why on earth was he, Thorin Oakenshield, so flustered? He was never flustered! He was always collected and calm. At least for the most part.

"Right." She said softly. "Um, here! Eat something!" Her voice was a bit higher than she wished it would be.

Eventually, he reached his hand out and took the bread from her. He muttered some sort of sound and Erubadhriel took it as his way of saying 'thank you'.

She sat down beside him with her bag in between her legs. While eating his bread, he looked to his right and noticed how close her shoulder was to his. This girl had no problem with personal space and it was ridiculous.

'_Almost humorous_.' Thorin thought, turning his attention back to the bread.

He watched her reach into her bag and saw her pull out a rolled up map. She unrolled it and flattened it with her palm.

Her fingers danced along the page trying to locate where they were and finally found what she was looking for.

She mumbled under her breath and tapped the paper here and there and grinned.

"What are you doing?" He asked her, and she turned her head to face him.

"Just refreshing my memory. I'm so excited to see Bilbo again." She said, a smile still plastered to her face. He rather liked her smile. Not that it mattered.

"Tell me about this hobbit. How did you meet him?" He said, while taking another bite of bread.

Her eyes grew wide and she stared at him for a second. Was he actually engaging in conversation? She thought it was odd, but she didn't want to miss this opportunity to talk with the dwarf.

"Well..." She began, leaning her head on the trunk of the tree they both sat against.

"Bilbo Baggins is very kind. He can be a bit shy and nervous, but his kindness resonates. He has strict tea times and keeps his house very tidy. Above all else, he keeps to himself."

She was satisfied with her answer and she shyly nudged him with her elbow,

"Just be your usual cheerful self and he'll warm right up to you!" She teased, but he simply stared at her.

"You have an odd sense of humour, Erubadhriel."

She hadn't heard him say her name yet. The way his voice sounded made her want to melt into a puddle.

"Aye, I've been told that many times. I apologize if I offend you at all. I get carried away sometimes." She sighed, awkwardly rubbing her knuckles in her lap.

"It's not a bad thing - your sense of humour. I just don't really understand why you are so cheerful all of the time. You barely even know me and you speak to me as if I am your friend." He said, surprised that he was actually talking to her so much. He didn't mind it as much as he thought he would though.

"Oh! Well. I don't know, you seem like a nice enough person. And if we are going on this little journey together I suppose we have to get along, don't you think?" She asked, turning her face towards his once more.

"Getting along with and being friends with are two different things." He said roughly.

She sighed once more and used her hands to push herself onto her feet.

"I swear there's a smile somewhere inside of you, Thorin. You just need to let it out! I bet you ten thousand coins I'll get one out of you before our journey's end!" She said confidently, not bothering to look at his face for a reply. She grabbed her bag and starting walking back to their path.

Thorin sat with a confused look on his face. Every conversation he had with this girl ended so strangely.

However, he knew one thing was for certain.

She was going to owe him ten thousand coins by the time they reach this hobbit's house.


End file.
